Rotary internal-combustion engine.



A. G. HATHCOGK.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 10, 1910.

1,014,596, Patented Jan.9, 1912.

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INVENTOR ATTORN EY A. G. HATHOOGK. ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.APPLICATION TILED NOV.10, 1910.

. 14 5g Patented Jan.9,1912.

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N l n emtor 4 u l I l5 Mtmessesg0 'A. G. HATHCOGK. ROTARY INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENG'ENE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 10, 191C.

Patented 31111.9, 1912.

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UNXTED STATES PATENT oFFioE;

ALIUS G. HATHCOCK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9,1912".

Application filed November 10, 1910. Serial No. 591,575.

bustion cylinders rotate about astationary' shaft.

The object of the invention is to provide an engine of this character,which shall be simple in construction, and effective in op eration.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the engine,certain parts be ing shown in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged. side viewof one of the cams and the parts immediately cooperating therewith;Fig'. 3 is a section of the same on the line-3-3 of Fig.- 1 on anenlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a section on the line M of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, 1, 2, indicate supports for bearings 3, 1.Secured in the bearing .3 is one end of a stationary crank shaft 5carrying'a U-crank 6, the other end of said crank shaft being receivedwithin a socket 7 in a sleeve 8 which is secured by screws 9 to a sleeve10 rotating in the other bearing 4. named end of said crank shaft isinserted a fuel 'supp'lypipe 12, having its inner end rounded, andabutting against a correspondingly-formed portion of said crank shaft,to avoid the formation of eddies in the supply of fluid fuel. The fluidfuel issues from said recess in the crank shaft into a groove 13 aroundthe shaft and'from said groove it flows into fluid conduits 14:, one foreach in ternal combustion cylinder 15. of which there are preferablyfive in number, although there might be three or seven. The inlet end ofeach tube is secured within a sleeve 16, to which sleeve is alsosecured, as

shown at 17, a casing 18', into which casing are screwed the inner endsof the lnternal combustlon cyllnders 15. Secured by screws 20 tothesideof; said casing remote from said sleeve is'a cover21 "which in turnis secured by screws 2 to the sleeve-10. On the mediate part ofsaidcrank'are secured two half bushings 23 and against said bushingspress bearing blocks 2 1 formed ontheend 31 pressedoutward by a spring32.

Into a recess 11 in the first of piston rods 25, said blocks being heldagainst said bushings by collar sections-26 secured together by screws27.

The outlet end ofeach fuel supply tube is secured to the cylinder head'28 so as to be in register with a conduit 29 leading to the interior ofstud-cylinder and at its end form'- ing an inlet valve seat. Restingagainst said seat is an inlet valve 30 having a stem Likewise formed inthe head. of each cylinder is an outlet valve 33 having a stem 3%adapted to be pressed to its seat by a spring 35. The

inlet and outlet valves are controlled by-levers 36 pivoted uponstandards '37 located substantially midway between said sleeve stems,the outer end of each lever-being pivoted to a rod 38 which isadjustably secured, as shown'at 39, to a rod 10, which rods are actuatedby cams pressing against rollers 11 upon the ends of the rods. Each camconsists of two parts or sections 42, 43, spaced from each other to forma cam groove in which the roller 4:1 travels. Said we I sections areadjustably secured on a sprocket wheel 45, four of said sprocket wheelsbeing driven by a sprocket chain 46 around the fifth sprocket wheel,which itself is mounted on the same shaft 47 as a gear wheel 48,. whichmeshes with a stationary pinion 49 upon the shaft 5 of the machine. Asthe cylinders rotate, said gear wheel 4c8'rotati'ng around, the pinion19, is given a movement of rotationrelative to its center, and thusrotates the sprocket wheel 45 immediately connected thereto, and, bymeans of the sprocket hain, all the other sprocket wheels. it is inorder to avoid having to depend upon the springs 32, 35, to return therod 38 to its normal position but to positively aetuate the same, that Iprovide for each cam a main cam section 12 and an auxiliary cam section-;l3. The auxiliary cam section engages the roller 11 and compels it topass along the groove eta and thereby insure a properly timed movementof the roller'and therefore also of the inlet and outlet valves.

' responding rod and lever to, first, openth inlet valve and maintain itopen for one cycle, thatis, one-half of a revolution of the engine: itthen'eloses it and maintains it closed for two cycles, or one wholerevolution. I It thenimme'dlatelyopens the exhaust valve and- Ihaintainsit open for one cycle,

- tionarily supported arm "Nhen the rod is W thdrawn toward the shaft 5,the c'on tact piece 52 rotates without making contact; but when the rod.is in its intermediate positlon, asshown in F g. 3, the platinum contactpiece 12 is adapted to contact, and upon the breaking of said circuit toproducea spark in the explosion chamber and ignite thdcombustibl gases,

60, (31, 62 are oil conduits for lubricating I the interior of the crankcase.

1. The combination of-.-a stationary crankshaft,'a rotating crank casethereon, cylinders secured to said crank case, pistons in s'aidcylinders, piston rods. connected at their outer ends to saidpistons-and rotating at the r inner ends about the crank case, inlet andoutlet valves for said cylinders, levers for cont-rolling said valves,rods for actuatingsaid levers, cams arranged to successively impartsimilar motion to said rods, sprocket Wheels secured to said 'cams', asprocket chain engaging all of said. Wheels whereby the remainder ofsaid sprocket.

wheels are driven from one of them, a gear heel rotating with the lattersprocket wheel, and a pinion on the crank shaft rotating with said gearwheel, substantially as described.

v 2. Incombination with a stationary crank shaft, a rotating crank casethereon, cyl1n-- ders secured to said cra'nk casing, pistons in said.cylinders, piston, rods connected at their outer ends to said. pistons Iand rotating 'at their inner ends about said 'crank shaft, inlet andoutlet valves for the respective cylinders, levers for controll ng, saidvalves-,rods

for actuating said levers,'-cams for actuating.-

said rods, means for rotating all of-sa'id cams in unison, sparkingdevices in therespective 5 cylinders, flexible conductors carried by therods and leading to said sparking devices, a contact piece secured toeach rod and connected with said conductor, and a stationary contactadapted to contact with each contact piece in successionin the rotationof said cylinders, substantially-as described;

3. The combination of a stationary crank shaft,'a rotating crankcasethereon, cylin-' ders secured to said crank casing, pistons in saidcylinders, piston rods connected at their out-er ends to said pistonsand rotating'at their inner ends about said crank shaft, inlet andoutlet valves for the respective cylinders, levers for cont-rolling saidvalves, rods for actuatingsaid levers, cams for actuating'saidrods,means for rotating all ofsaid cams in unison, sparking devices inthe respective cylinders, flexible conductors car ried by the rodsand'leading to said spark ingdevices, a contact piece secured to eachrod and connected with said conductors, a

stationarily supported arm, a rack adjustably-secured-in said arm, adevice secured to said arin adj'ustably of the length of said device,and a contact carried by said device arranged to engage each contact.piece in succession in the rotation of said cylinders.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'set my hand in the presence of twosubscrib ng witnesses.

' ALIUs e; HATHCOGK.

Witnesses:

FnANcIs M. .WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS.

